Fastener structure



Feb. 7 219% R. c. LEGAT 3 9 FASTENER STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 9, 1945 WITNESS INVENTOR.

VWWMQW Raj/ er (Gil 56,97

ATTORNEYS' Patented Feb. 7, 1950 FASTENER STRUCTURE Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The G. E. Prentice Mfg. 00., Kensington, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application October 9, 1945, Serial No. 621,233

Claims.

This invention relates to slide operative fasteners and has reference more particularly to the construction of the stringers of such fasteners.

Fasteners of the indicated type usually include a pair of stringers in the form of tapes having opposed thickened edges upon which are mounted a multiplicity of cooperating rigid elements, the locking and interlocking of the elements being controlled by a manually operated slider. The elements are usually each provided with a pair of clamping jaws by which they are secured in aligned, parallel relation to the thickened edges of the tapes. This type of fastener has been used satisfactorily for a wide variety of purposes, but for many other purposes their use has been unsatisfactory and even impracticable, due to the fact that the elements tend to move out of alignment under severe strain. Thus, when used in connection with garments or devices where it is likely that a tremendous leverage will be applied to the pull tab to operate the slider either quickly or along stringer tapes which are under severe stresses, invariably some of the elements will be moved out of their proper aligned, parallel relation and, as the slider then cannot function properly on the stringers or interengage the displaced elements with the other elements, the fastener becomes inoperative.

The principal purpose of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned difficulty in fasteners of this type and by a simple inexpensive method of procedure to provide such a fastener with elements which will not move out of proper alignment even under relatively severe strains exerted thereon, either through the tapes of the fasteners or through its associated slider.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a face view of a partially open fastener embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detailed view, partly in section, of a portion of one of the stringers of the fastener shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5,5 of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, the reference numeral In indicates the two flexible supports of the fastener stringers which may be made of the customary fabric tape provided with a thickened edge portion I l. Mounted on the opposed thickened edges ll of the supports ID, are the interlocking elements l2, each having a free end projecting outwardly from the thickened edge of one tape and provided with a projection l3 and a corresponding indentation or recess H! (see Fig. 2) adapted for interlgcking cooperation with similar parts on thefree endsof adjacent fastener or interlocking elements extending from the opposing edge of the other tape. The elements l2 on both supports or tapes ll) are arranged to be interlocked in interlingered relation by means of the usual slider [5 which is manually moved lengthwise of the fastener through the pull tab 16. The base or inner end of each interlocking element 12 is in the form of a pair of spaced clamping jaws l! by which the element is clamped or affixed in parallel, aligned relation to the other elements on the thickened edge ll of the tape. It will be noted from Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, that the portions [8 of the thickened edge ll enclosed by the jaws ll of the elements are in a compressed condition and are constituted of the fabric material which forms the thickened edge H of the tape. The portions IQ of the thickened edge ll intermediate the elements l2 have a cross-sectional area substantially greater than that of the portions l8 and such that the ends of such portions l9 engage with or abut against the side surfaces of the elements (note Figs. 3 and 5) The fabric material of the portions I9 is thoroughly impregnated with a hardening material, which when dry, becomes hard, stiff and rigid, such as a lacquer of the type known as #1617 Clear Lacquer (air drying) manufactured by The Stanley Chemical Company of East Berlin, Connecticut, or a suitable resinous compound having the aforesaid qualities. When such hardening material dries, the portions I9 of the fabric material are transformed into hard, stiff, rigid elements. Preferably there is applied a surface coating 25) of such hardening material which extends the entire length of the spaces between adjacent elements l2 in each row. It will thus be seen that the thickened edge l l of the tape is constituted of a series of rigid links 19, spaced apart and connected together by the flexible reduced portions I8 to which the jaws ll of the elements are clamped. The rigid links l9 through their engagement with the side surfaces of the elements [2, fix the position of such elements relative to each other and prevent such elements, even under very severe stresses, from being moved or shifted from their proper aligned, parallel relation, while the flexible portions l8 enable the fastener to be flexed or bent in usage.

In constructing the fastener stringers of this invention, a support constituted of the customary fabric-tape with a thickened edge in the form of a bead, is fed lengthwise with a step-by step move- 3 ment to mechanism for attaching the elements in predetermined spaced relation to the thickened edge thereof during the pauses in the step-by-step feed of the tape. The elements attached to the tape are then subjected to a rolling down process to securely clamp the jaws I! of the elements l2 on to the tape with the elements in their proper spaced parallel, .alignedarelationsso that the outer front and'rear surfaces "thereofare in alignment and afford no obstruction to the travel of the slider l over such surfaces. The thickened edge H of the resulting product will be compressedin those portions thereof enclosed by the jaws H of the elements to the form showninFi'gsr and of the drawings, while those portions of tl'ie thick ened edge H intermediate the elements 12 will,

as a result of the compressingziactlon.ofithejaws ll, be compressed at their ends so that their outer surfaces will be convexly shaped in a longitudinal" direction or along the line 33 of Fig. 2 of the The thickened edge portions of thetape-intermediate the 'elements are then A treated 1 drawings.

with a suitable hardening compound; suchas,- clear transparent 'lacquer or other suitable material, tochange' such portions from their soft,

spongy conditionlto a stifi; rigid condition and, at thesam'e-time, to change'theform of such intermediate portionsso tliat'their ends will abut the sidesurfacesof the'elements: The hardening material may be appl-ied inany suitablefa'shion such as; by- 'a brushing.operationor by an immersing step and is' preferably applied in severalap-- plications with-sufi'icient time between applications to enablethe hardening m'aterial to thoroughly permeate the-fabric of suchiportions I and :1." to-partially dry. Thus; wlien-appl-ying to-such,

portions clear, transparent lacquer by 'a brushing operation; I have found that best results are obtained" by applying three coatings ofthe lacquer, allowing 'half 'anhour between coatings. As-

a=resuit of these coatings ofthe hardening ma terial; the portionsl9 of 'the' thiokenedfabric'imtermedia-te the elen'rents are thoroughlyimpreg--- natecl with the hardening material andeach' oi such portions-iscovered'with a'coating 2H which is'ancliore'd t'o such portiOhby-thematerial within the'f'ab'rio' liodythereofi Due to the 'added hard ening material,- thecross sectional dimensions of" the original fabric'portionsl9 are increased, par ticul'arly' at -the ends: thereof wherethe harden'- ing'mater-ial forms rigid' shoulders 21, 21 (note Fig; 3) abutting against the opposed side sur-- faces of adjacent elements; theform'of the coat-- ing-changing the exterior configuration of'the in termediatepor-tionsso that the outer front'and 1 back surfaces-thereof; are changecl'from a c0nveX- shapeto a concave :sha'pe; therebybuttressing the shoulders 21 againststresses exerted thereonthrough the elements;- It will=accordingly be seen that'the elements lzlwhioh previously tothe' coat ing operation'avhile'securely 'clamped to thebead= ed-or'thioliened edge=0?thetape; coul'd be moved out of their properalignmentwithrelative ease;

now are prevented by the rigid; stifffint'ermediate portions IQ-fi'om moving from the positions in which they have beenattaohed'andsuch portions l9will maintain theelements lz' in proper aligned relation even when the elements arel1nde1relatively. great stresses tending. to movethern from their proper relationship. This has been con firmed by severe tests whichhave demonstrated that a fastener constructed according to-this invention is substantially st'rongerthan any known type of' fastener of: similar: size' and is infact at least fiftypercent stronger than: the 1 fastener of usual construction. This increased strength of the instant fastener makes it particularly suitable for use on clothing and other devices or equipment where it will meet a harsher service than the customary fastener is capable of satisfactorily withstanding. This advantage of the instant fastener as has been pointed out, is attained by first clamping the elements in proper aligned condition to the untreated thickened edge of the tape and then treating the portions of such edge intermediate the elements to transform the latter into hard, rigid links in which the hardened filler material coating the impregnated fabric portions thereof is permanently bonded to the latter-so asto' form one unitary mass and abuts the sidesurfaces'ofthe elements to function as stops: between. the elements and prevents their moving out of their proper alignment. Another advantage of the invention is that the longitudinal portions 22 of the tapes may be treated at the same timewith the-hardeningmaterialto'rprovide immediately adj acent to the inner ends of theele ments, longitudinally extending: stringer. portions which 4 will have agreater: resistance to wear; by

whilecontaining the hardeningm'aterial; areonly partially impregnated withthe' same and are not. coveredw-ith the material or'impregnatemto the extent that they become stiff: and hard, buttonly to the extent as-t'o givesufiicient body-and hard ness to such portions-2'22 to obtain-the afoiemen tioned advantages without substantially eifeoting the fiexibleness of-such portions,

Whil'eI have-described and illustrated a pre-- ferred embodiment of" my invention; various changes and modifications thereof maybe =macle without departing fromthe spirit of-the invention" or the scope'of the-appended' claims.

I claim:

1. Astringer fora'fastener of the slide operated type; comprising a textile'supporting member; a

series' of fastener elements attached in spaced relation to a longitudinal edgeofsaidsupportingmember' and having free ends projecting outwardly from such edge; theportions of said edge intermediate said'elements being eachcomposed of a-substantially homogeneous compound whichis hard, stiffandrigidimpregnating' the-textile" portion and coating 'such' impregnated portion to form a substantially cylindrically-shaped portionso dimensionedthat' the ends of such portions' engage the opposed side surfaces of adjacent elements, and the portions of such edge-towhich'theelements are attached being flexible and having a cross-sectional dimension l'essthantha-t of saidintermediate' coated portions.

2. A stringer construction as-set-forthin claim-1 wherein said fastenerelements extend through a reinforced section= of said textile' supportingi member and wherein said reinforced' section is a soft spongy material capable of readilyabsorbingsaid hardening material.

3; Astringer construction as set forth inclaiml wherein the portion'of-"said supporting material clamped by saidfastener elements issoft spongy and flexible coated 3 portions have a coating of the-same material anchored-thereto:

4: A stringer constructionas set forth-in-claim -l= wherein said supporting memberis providecl' with and wherein such impregnated and a continuous longitudinally extending portion adjacent to said longitudinal edge gripped by said fastener elements, such continuous portion containing a filler to render the same harder than the untreated textile of said supporting member whereby a hardened guideway is provided for the flanges of a slider.

5. A stringer construction as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rigid portions of said edge intermediate said fastener elements each have a cross sectional area that substantially conforms in configuration to an unimpregnated portion of said edge and the first mentioned area is greater than the second mentioned area but smaller than the cross-sectional area defined by' the edges of said fastener elements.

ROBERT C. LEGAT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 1,7 39,500 Blair Dec. 17, 1929 1,839,068 Waschiczech Dec. 29, 1931 2,073,380 Roseman Mar. 9, 1937 2,184,625 Sipe Dec. 26, 1939 

